Motor fuel composition

ABSTRACT

Sodium tripolyphosphate in powdered form is combined with a liquid hydrocarbon motor fuel, typically unleaded gasoline, kerosene or diesel fuel, to improve combustion.

United States Patent Brent Oct. 16, 1973 [541 MOTOR FUEL COMPOSITION 2,742,351 4/1956 Rogers et al 44 67 x 2,5 0,542 7 1951 B 1 al 44 57 x [76] Inventor: Gemge Bren" 357 McMurraY 3 425,206 5/1969 44/76 x Rd., McMurray, Pa. 15317 [22] Filed: Jan. 22, 1971 Appl. No.: 109,005

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1971 Milner et a]. 44/76 X Primary Examiner-Daniel E. Wyman Assistant ExaminerW. J. Shine Attorney-Parmelee, Utzler & Welsh [57] ABSTRACT Sodium tripolyphosphate in powdered form is combined with a liquid hydrocarbon motor fuel, typically unleaded gasoline, kerosene or diesel fuel, to improve combustion.

4 Claims, N0 Drawings MOTOR FUEL COMPOSITION This invention is for a motor fuel and method of preparing same.

Many additives have been used in gasoline for automobile and other internal combustion engines to improve starting or mileage or engine performance in general. Such additives are liquids readily miscible with gasoline, or solids readily soluble in gasoline. Typical are ether and highly volatile hydrocarbons, other hydrocarbon compounds, naphthalene with or without various additives, and of course tetraethyl lead. While demonstrably improving the combustion of gasoline in some respects, they have some disadvantage, either being injurious in some way to the engine or dangerous, or they result in pollution of the air with injurious reaction products.

My invention involves the use of sodium tripolyphosphate in small amounts in gasoline or other liquid hydrocarbon to be used as internal combustion engine fuel. It is available commercially both as flakes and in bead form, and either form may be used, preferably after first being reduced to a powder. This compound is not generally regarded as being soluble in gasoline, but nevertheless I have discovered that when it is mixed with commercial grades of gasoline or with diesel fuel, it is slowly dispersed, if not actually dissolved. When it has been added in small amounts to unleaded motor fuel, it makes a cleaner burning fuel both from the standpoint of more complete combustion and elimination of unburned combustibles in the exhaust gases and from the reduced carbon deposits in the cylinder head and in the crank-case oil. The more effective total combustion of course reflects itself in increased mileage as determined by road tests of the same vehicle along the same extended travel route at comparable speeds. Some analyses of exhaust gases have also shown the im provement in the reduction in carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons in the exhaust gases, although exhaustive technical studies have yet to be made. included in such technical studies is a determination of why the tripolyphosphate combined with non-leaded gasoline provides performance superior to any socalled premium gasolines that are available, and with cleaner burning.

One possible explanation may reside in part from the ability of sodium tripolyphosphate to sequester water that is always present to some extent in gasoline and render it dispersible in gasoline. So dispersed, the solution, or the phosphate in the aqueous solution, functions as a catalyst. Whatever the theory, the result is measurable, and also unexpected. Fuel chemists insist that putting the phosphate in the fuel tank of a motor car would simply result in an accumulation of the compound in a period of time, and that it would be useless, if not detrimental. However, tests made first in my lawn mower, then in less expensive motor vehicles, and finally in a so-called luxury" automobile designed for use only with premium motor fuel, and also in a small fleet of trucks, has established proof to the contrary. Not only has there been no accumulation, but I, and those who have assisted me, have never experienced any interference with the performance of the carburetor or carburetor jets such as occurs when solid foreign particles are put into a fuel tank. All tests indicated quicker starting, less discoloration of crank case oil, less visible exhaust fumes, especially with diesel engines, and improved mileage.

In my own experiments, I have estimated that the sodium tripolyphosphate in a concentration of about 10 PPM (parts per million) in the cheapest grade of unleaded motor gasoline available in filling stations is adequate. The preferred procedure would be to reduce the said phosphate compound to a fine powder from its usual flake or beaded form, and introduce it into the gasoline with an agitating pump or other mechanical mix at the refinery, or some other storage or pipe line facility, and the gasoline carrying the finely-divided phosphate would be more or less aged before it was eventually delivered to the customer.

I have found, however, that the mixture can be prepared by introducing the powdered sodium tripolyphosphate into the fuel tank of a motor vehicle when the volume of fuel in the tank is low, and filling the tank (between 19 and 20 gallons in my own automobile) and when the car has used most of it, to get a second refill of the gasoline so that the two ounces will serve for nearly forty gallons of fuel. I could, of course, add about 1/2 oz. every 10 gallons. The cost of the material ranges between 25 cents and 50 cents per pound, and I estimate at the refinery it would require about 8.3 pounds per million gallons to provide a concentration of 10 PPM.

Whether the tripolyphosphate is introduced at the refinery or other storage facility or directly into the vehicle fueltank, a fuel mixture results which has the properties above described. The invention is not only cheaper than tetra-ethyl lead presently considered to be the best additive, but avoids the objectionable emission of lead compounds into the air and otherwise gives improved performance and reduces air pollution. As previously indicated, the invention is also applicable for use in diesel engine fuel where it likewise increases mileage and reduces smoke and odor, and apparently is effective with other hydrocarbon fuels, as for example kerosene and jet engine fuel used in airplanes.

I claim:

l. A motor fuel comprising a liquid hydrocarbon fuel for intemal'combustion engines with about 10 PPM of powdered sodium tripolyphosphate dispersed therein.

2. A motor fuel comprising a liquid hydrocarbon fuel for internal combustion engines with sodium tripolyphosphate dispersed therein in the ratio of one-half oz. of sodium tripolyphosphate to 10 gallons of liquid fuel.

3. A motor fuel as defined in claim 2 in which the sodium tripolyphosphate is in the ratio of about one-half oz. to 10 gallons of liquid fuel, and the liquid fuel is selected from the group consisting of unleaded gasoline, diesel fuel and kerosene.

4. A motor fuel comprising principally unleaded gasoline combined with sodium tripolyphosphate in about the proportion of one-half oz. of sodium tripolyphosphate to 10 gallons of gasoline. 

2. A motor fuel comprising a liquid hydrocarbon fuel for internal combustion engines with sodium tripolyphosphate dispersed therein in the ratio of one-half oz. of sodium tripolyphosphate to 10 gallons of liquid fuel.
 3. A motor fuel as defined in claim 2 in which the sodium tripolyphosphate is in the ratio of about one-half oz. to 10 gallons of liquid fuel, and the liquid fuel is selected from the group consisting of unleaded gasoline, diesel fuel and kerosene.
 4. A motor fuel comprising principally unleaded gasoline combined with sodium tripolyphosphate in about the proportion of one-half oz. of sodium tripolyphosphate to 10 gallons of gasoline. 